For the past few years, we’ve been making you aware of the problem of intrusive big government and what you can do about it.It is a cold, hard fact that misguided bureaucrats at federal, state, and local levels are constantly coming up with inane bills and regulations that interfere with what we do to our cars.Whether it’s a scrappage program in California, an exhaust modification ban in Massachusetts, or a nitrous oxide freeze in Georgia, someone, somewhere in government is constantly threatening our hobby.The good news is that you can eradicate legislative and regulatory threats and help pass favorable laws.

How? It only takes 6 to 10 letters to a Congressman or state representative to change his or her vote, and that’s a fact.The question is knowing when to write and to whom.Joining the SEMA Action Network (SAN) – a nationwide partnership of vehicle clubs, enthusiasts, and the specialty automotive industry—is a good way to begin.The SEMA office in Washington, DC, tracks pending legislation and regulations nationwide.When something threatening comes along, word spreads quickly to the SEMA Action Network.The main areas of concern include scrappage programs, inoperable vehicles, emissions testing and maintenance, suspension and height modifications, new vehicle warranties, and equipment standards.

SCRAPPAGE PROGRAMS

Problem:As the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) imposes increasingly tough emissions reduction requirements on the states, vehicle scrappage or “clunker” programs become more appealing to some state legislators and regulators.Scrappage programs purchase older cars, which are then typically crushed.Most of these programs enable smokestack industries to avoid reducing their own emissions because they are able to buy pollution credits that are generated by destroying old cars.Therefore, the air quality doesn’t really improve, but the vehicle hobby loses potential collector cars and parts forever.

Action:Cost-effective alternatives, such as voluntary vehicle repair and upgrade programs, are beginning to receive serious consideration as a better choice than scrappage.Voluntarily adapting newer technology to older vehicles achieves true air quality benefits.Numerous custom auto accessories can substantially lower the emissions rates of older daily drivers and also offers considerable benefits in enhanced performance, driveability, and fuel mileage.Voluntary repairs and upgrades provide maximum benefits to those seeking emissions credits without hurting hobbyists.

INOPERABLE VEHICLES

Problem: Many states and localities enforce or attempt to legislate strict bans on project cars and parts-cars that don’t run.Often, these vehicles are removed from private property by way of local nuisance laws, and quite often you’ll receive no notice at all that they’ll be coming to take them away.Jurisdictions do this based on the notion that inoperable vehicles are eyesores that adversely affect property values, or that they pose a health risk due to leaking fluids, chemicals, and the like.

Action:Clear legal distinctions must be drawn between an owner using private property as a dump and that of an enthusiast working to maintain, restore, or construct a vehicle.SAN members have successfully opposed laws that allow governmental authorities to remove dead vehicles with minimal or no notice.In other instances, private parties have negotiated reasonable and fair compromise legislation.For example, enthusiast groups might consider supporting legislation that permits the safe and environmentally responsible outdoor storage of a motor vehicle.Vehicles can also be hidden from view by a fence, trees, shrubbery, or other privacy screens.

EMISSIONS TESTING AND MAINTENANCE PROGRAMS

Problem: To meet federal emissions reduction requirements, many states have implemented stringent emissions inspection and maintenance (I/M) programs.I/M 240 is a new and “improved” motor vehicle inspection program that may currently be or soon be operating in your state, as it has been for the past couple of years in California.This test includes a visual inspection of emissions control devices, an evaporative emissions test, and a low-speed drive-cycle exhaust emissions test performed while the vehicle is running on dynamometer rollers.Many of these state programs mistakenly fail vehicles based on the mere presence of aftermarket or non-stock engine products—and some programs are being expanded to force older collector vehicles to undergo some type of testing.

Action: Urge policymakers to implement fair visual inspection procedures that allow the use of smog-legal and other legitimate non-original parts.In addition, try to get legislation passed that establishes emissions testing exemptions for collector vehicles, usually defined as cars and trucks that are 25 years old or older.Advise legislators that the emissions from this small portion of the population are negligible and that this is especially true when you consider the low annual mileage they accrue and the excellent condition in which they are maintained.

VEHICLE SUSPENSION REGULATIONS

Problem:Frame height and bumper height, as well as aftermarket suspension and tire size, are drawing increasing attention from state regulators as they consider rules that are unnecessarily severe and burden owners without making their vehicles any safer.Others can affect virtually all automotive hobbyists, including those who lower their vehicles, or build street rods, kit cars, or lowriders.Still others discriminate against independent parts manufacturers and their customers by allowing the automakers to set the standards.In addition, suspension and height regulations are often so unclear that the industry, hobbyists, and inspection technicians have no firm guidelines to go by.

Action:Oppose state regulations that ban reasonable suspension modifications.Support regulations that provide clear and simple limits to guide consumers, aftermarket parts makers and installers, as well as the inspectors.Setting reasonable height limits allows for necessary and useful alterations to provide improved clearance for on- and off-highway capability and to accommodate heavy loads, larger wheels, and improved suspension.

NEW VEHICLE WARRANTIES

Problem: A vehicle owner’s claim under a new-vehicle warranty is denied because a product not put on or sold by the vehicle manufacturer is on the car.

Action: A custom accessory rarely violates a new-vehicle warranty.Under federal law, you can’t be denied warranty coverage simply because you’ve got aftermarket parts on your car.However, warranty coverage can be denied if the part in question actually causes a malfunction or damage.If you have a disagreement with a dealer regarding a warranty claim, get a written explanation and letter of refusal from them and then consult your vehicle owner’s manual for steps you should take.SEMA also has a document available on its consumer Web site to help fight unfair warranty denial.Find it at www.enjoythedrive.com/san/warranty.If the vehicle manufacturer also denies your claim, contact the Federal Trade Commission at 202/326-3128.

VEHICLE EQUIPMENT STANDARDS

Problem: State regulators continue to revise and update equipment and inspection standards that are usually biased against specialty stuff like custom lighting, tires and wheels, window tinting, and suspension components.

Action: Often, regulators are not aware that proposed regulations are unnecessary or that they can be amended.Oppose unreasonable state regulations that create a bias against specialty automotive products and modifications, as well as those that compromise your interest in personalizing, customizing, and improving performance.

WHAT TO DO

The old saw about strength in numbers holds up very well in these matters.A great way to become one of a steadily growing roster of enthusiasts who make a difference is to join the SEMA Action Network (SAN).It costs nothing to become part of this partnership among vehicle clubs, individual enthusiasts, and the specialty automotive industry, designed to stamp out government threats and pass favorable laws.The SAN shares information and links hobbyists via a free monthly publication called Driving Force (available on the SEMA consumer Web site at www.enjoythedrive.com/drivingforce/current/).The SAN also provides urgent alerts whenever there’s an immediate need to support legislative and regulatory developments.

We encourage you to join SAN, and to organize your club or your family to write letters and go to meetings to help preserve our hobby.Also, make sure to realize that we need to work alongside people whose interests we may not share.Sure you drive a Camaro, but emissions laws mean just as much to the guys in the 4X4, Volkswagen, Honda, and lowrider clubs.We all need to work together to stop the government from taking our automotive freedom away from us.